Final Exam COM/285 Business Communications True/False [12 questions x 2 points each]

1. 2. 3. True True True False False False False False False False The higher you rise in an organization, the less you will be able to rely on form letters. Negative messages should include audience benefits. Negatives are appropriate in oral or written communications if one of the goals is to make people take a problem seriously. Most cultures are more formal than the United States, and this should be taken into account when writing to international audiences. If a group does not formally vote during a meeting, the leader should summarize the groups consensus after each point. A written document that is uses long sentences and abstract words uses good business style. Research shows that good writers and poor writers are equally able to effectively identify and analyze the initial problem; however, poor writers are subsequently less capable of using effective writing strategies.

4. True 5. 6. 7. True True True

8.

True

Using patterns of organization that follow standard conventions of business for writing informative and positive messages is not recommended because it makes a document sound stilted and unoriginal. False If you have several reasons for saying "no," include all of them, even if some of them are not very strong. The more reasons you have, the likely the reader is to see that you had no choice but to say "no."

False

9.

True

more 10. True

False The goal of a proposal is to get a project accepted but not necessarily to get you approved to be the one to do the job.

11. 12.

True True

False There is very little repetition of content in a well-organized, well-written report. False An effective ending to an oral presentation should refer to the opener to create a frame for the presentation.

Multiple Choice [12 questions x 3 points each]

13. Good writing costs companies money, and these costs increase significantly if the communication is ineffective. Which of the following pairs would NOT be two additional costs to the company if written communication is poor. A) Paper and wasted time B) Postage and legal problems C) Computers and software D) Lost goodwill and document cycling 14. In which of the following situations is straightforward, negative language NOT appropriate? A) An executive wants to build credibility when delivering the bad news of upcoming budget cutbacks due to unfavorable economic conditions. B) A manager wants his staff to understand the dire consequences of disregarding safety regulations. C) A customer service representative wants to make a problem with a defective product perfectly clear to those affected by it. D) A supervisor wants to openly challenge the common sense and integrity of one of his employees for a decision she made. 15. You are speaking to a group of 25 people for 30 minutes. You should A) avoid changing pitch, volume, and tone throughout the presentation in order to sound consistent. B) vary pitch, volume, and tone throughout the presentation in order to sound alert and intelligent. C) speak loudly enough to be heard by all, and with as high a pitch as possible so that your voice will carry through the room. D) speak as softly as possible so that the audience will be forced to concentrate on what you say. 16. In which case are formal rules, such as the rules of parliamentary procedure, LEAST useful? A) When each topic is debated and voted upon B) When the group is very large

C) When the agenda is very long D) When team-building and problem-solving are to be part of the meeting 17. Which of the following sentences would be appropriate toward the beginning of a professional business report? A) You cant determine the cause of the problem if you dont even know whos involved. B) Members of ACE (Association of Creative Enterprises) were invited as speakers at the conference. C) I would like to point out that the drop in sales in May 2007 was due to the unusually rainy weather. D) The local college offers many Gen. Ed. courses that employees may take to enhance their communication skills. 18. If a reader challenges the validity of statements made in a written document, the writer should NOT A) remove the statements from the document. B) rephrase sentences within the document. C) give more information. D) cite the sources of the information. 19. Which of the following would be classified as an informative or positive message? A) A request for information B) An announcement of a policy that reduces benefits C) A memo for the file recording actions and rationales D) A letter to an employer announcing you have accepted another offer 20. A manager must tell subordinates that their retirement benefits have been reduced due to financial difficulties the company has been experiencing. Which of the following is the BEST subject line? A) Reductions in Retirement Benefits B) Efforts of Top Management to Put the Company on a More Secure Financial Footing C) Changes in Retirement Benefits D) Retirement 21. Which of the following is the LEAST acceptable topic for a class research project? A) Determining students' experience with computers B) Determining whether a computer course requirement should be added to the business curriculum C) Determining whether a "Rent-a-Computer" service would be feasible

D) Determining ways to increase student access to personal computers 23. Which of the following is NOT good advice about appropriate style for reports? A) Introduce sources and visuals gracefully. B) Use transitions, topic sentences, and headings. C) Use a very informal style to increase readability. D) Avoid slang and contractions. 24. Which of the following does NOT demonstrate strong oral presentation delivery skills? A) Making eye contact with one person as you begin speaking, and then looking at a different person every second. B) Using big, confident gestures that come naturally to you. C) Practicing your presentation so that you will not have to hesitate finding the appropriate words D) Using your voice similar to how you would use your facial expressions

Short Answer and Essay [8 questions x 5 points each]

25. Any communication that uses words is classified as VERBAL communication.

26. One of the best-known analyses of needs if Abraham Maslow's HIERARCHY.

27. Identify six purposes a meeting can have. Locker and Kienzler (2008) stated that meetings can have multiple purposes such as to brainstorm ideas, share information, evaluate ideas, develop plans, create a document, make decisions, and motivate members. 28. Compare and contrast conversational style, good business style, and traditional term paper style. Conversational style is highly informal and it may have many contractions. It also uses first and second person and it may include slang. Sentences may be incomplete and ungrammatical. Visual impact is not applicable.

Good business style sounds like a real person talking. Good business style may have a few contractions and it also uses as the conversional style, the first and second person. However, good business styles do not include slang. Paragraphs and sentences are short. It also uses Standard English. Differently from the conversation style, visual impact is truly important in good business style. Traditional term paper style is more formal than the two previous styles. Contractions should be avoided as well as the use of first and second person pronouns. Traditional term paper style includes several technical terms. Further, paragraphs and sentences are long. Finally, there is no particular attention to visual impact (Locker & Kienzler, 2008, p. 107).

29. 5-100.

Explain what a storyboard is and when to use it.

A storyboard is a rectangle that represents each page or unit. Communicators use a storyboard for their oral presentation, meetings, or documents that have lots of visuals. Communicators draw a box with a visual for each main point. Below the box, write a short caption or label (Locker & Kienzler, 2008, p. 139).

30. Briefly explain how to write subject lines appropriate for negative messages. Locker and Kienzler (2008) provided a few examples of how subject lines for negative message may be written. More specifically, several negative messages may indicate the topic in the subject line but not the specific negative item. Other negative messages may focus on solving the problem (e.g. subject: improving our customer service). Locker and Kienzler (2008) also suggest using a negative subject line when the audience needs information to take its decision or when the writer thinks the reader may end up ignoring the message because they think it is a routing message. Indeed, a neutral subject line can cause the audience to not read the message.

31. How should you organize a task progress report? Task progress reports are appropriate for complex projects that include distinct topics. Information is organized based on the several tasks that one has worked during a period. For instance, Locker and Kinzler (2008) provided the following headings:

finding background information on the web, analyzing survey data, and working on the introduction of the report and appendices (p. 505). Team members who are working on the report will discuss each of the above headings; more specifically they will focus on what it has been completed and what still need to be done. 32. Explain ways to calm your nerves just before and while giving an oral presentation. Locker and Kienzler (2008) suggested several ways to calm ones nerves before and during an oral presentation. More specifically, they suggested avoiding alcoholic beverages, relabeling ones nerves to thinking my adrenaline is up instead of thinking I am scared, be prepared, take several deep breaths, and relax your muscles. During the presentation they suggest concentrating on communicating effectively, use body energy in strong gestures, as well as pause and look at the audience before speaking.

Reference Locker, K.O., and Kienzler, D.S. (2008). Business and administrative communication (8th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.